Grouped machine-to-machine communications

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, computer-readable media and system configurations for organizing wireless devices such as user equipment (“UE”) into groups and allocating wireless network resources to those groups. In an example method, a radio access network (“RAN”) node may organize a first machine-to-machine (“M2M”) wireless device and a second M2M wireless device into a group of M2M wireless devices. The RAN Node may then allocate a wireless network resource to the group of M2M wireless devices. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of wireless transmission, and more particularly, to allocating wireless resources to groups of wireless devices.

BACKGROUND

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in the present disclosure and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Machine-to-machine (“M2M”) wireless machines or devices (hereafter referred to as “devices”) may communicate primarily or exclusively with other machines or devices, with little or no human intervention. Examples of M2M devices may include wireless weather sensors, assembly line sensors, meters to track vehicles of a fleet, and so forth. In many cases these devices may log onto a wireless network and communicate with a network server, e.g., over the Internet. In parlance of the 3GPP Long Term Evolution (“LTE”) Release 10 (March 2011) (the “LTE Standard”), M2M may alternatively be referred to as “machine type communications” (“MTC”). M2M devices may also be used with the IEEE 802.16 standard, IEEE Std. 802.16-2009, published May 29, 2009 (“WiMAX”), as well as in Third Generation (“3G”) networks.

In some cases M2M devices may be deployed in geographically-distributed clusters. For example, a cluster of M2M devices may be located in a building, or within a particular area of a building. These M2M devices may be similar distances and/or directions from a connection point to a radio access network (“RAN”), the connection point hereafter being referred to as a “RAN node,” and therefore may use similar physical layer properties, such as a transmit power setting or modulation and code selection, to communicate with the connection point.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To facilitate this description, like reference numerals designate like structural elements. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example wireless network and wireless devices that may be organized into groups, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 schematically depicts an example group scheduling scheme, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an example method, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 schematically depicts an example system, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, and in which is shown by way of illustration embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions or operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in the order of presentation. Operations described may be performed in a different order than the described embodiment. Various additional operations may be performed and/or described operations may be omitted in additional embodiments.

For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “A, B, and/or C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C).

The description may use the phrases “in an embodiment,” or “in embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure, are synonymous.

As used herein, the term “module” may refer to, be part of, or include an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and/or memory (shared, dedicated, or group) that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. As used herein, “computer-implemented method” may refer to any method executed by one or more processors, a computer system having one or more processors, a mobile device such as a smart phone (which may include one or more processors), a tablet or laptop computer, a set-top box, a gaming console, and so forth. In various embodiments, a computer-implemented method may include organizing, by an evolved Node B (“eNB”), a first machine-to-machine (“M2M”) user equipment (“UE”) device and a second M2M UE device into a group of M2M UE devices. The method may further include allocating, by the eNB, a wireless network resource to the group of M2M UE devices. The method may further include transmitting, by the eNB to at least one of the first or second M2M UE devices, an indication of the allocation of the wireless network resource, wherein the indication includes a group identifier to identify the group.

In various embodiments, organizing a first M2M UE device and a second M2M UE device into a group may include organizing, by the eNB, the first M2M UE device and the second M2M UE device into the group based on at least one of a distance of at least one of the first and second M2M UE devices from the eNB and a direction of at least one of the first and second M2M UE devices from the eNB. In various embodiments, organizing a first M2M UE device and a second M2M UE device into a group may include organizing, by the eNB, the first M2M UE device and the second M2M UE device into the group based at least in part on a distance of the first and second M2M UE devices from each other.

In various embodiments, a computer-implemented method may further include assigning, by the eNB, the group identifier associated with the group of M2M UE devices to the first and second UE devices. In various embodiments, allocating a wireless network resource to the group of M2M UE devices may include allocating, by the eNB, a time interval and frequency range that the UE devices from the group of M2M UE devices may use to transmit or receive data. In various embodiments, allocating a wireless network resource to the group of M2M UE devices may include allocating, by the eNB, a dedicated channel to which M2M UE devices from the group of M2M UE devices have access. In various embodiments, allocating a wireless network resource to the group of M2M UE devices may include allocating, by the eNB, a time interval during which M2M UE devices from the group of M2M UE devices have access to a channel.

In various embodiments, a computer-implemented method may include receiving, from an M2M UE device of the group of M2M UE devices, a channel request on behalf of the group of M2M UE devices. In various embodiments, the method may include providing, by the eNB to UE devices of the group of M2M UE devices, access to the wireless network resource in a predefined order. In various embodiments, the method may include providing, by the eNB to the UE devices of the group of M2M UE devices, sequential access to the wireless network resource. In various embodiments, the method may include communicating with individual M2M UE devices of the group of M2M UE devices using a common set of physical layer parameters.

In various embodiments, a UE device may include a wireless communication interface and a control module configured to determine that the UE device belongs in a group of M2M UE devices. The control module may also be configured to receive an indication of a wireless network resource being allocated to the group by an eNB. The control module may also be configured to utilize the wireless network resource allocated to the group of M2M UE devices to transmit a signal via the wireless communication interface.

In various embodiments, a computer system may include one or more processors and a control module configured to be operated by a processor of the one or more processors to receive operating parameters for a plurality of M2M wireless devices. The control module may be further configured to be operated by the processor to organize a first M2M wireless device and a second M2M wireless device into a group of M2M wireless devices based on the received operating parameters, and allocate a wireless network resource to the group of M2M wireless devices.

In various embodiments, a UE system may include one or more processors, a wireless communication interface, a sensor, and a control module configured to be operated by a processor of the one or more processors to determine that the UE system belongs in a group of M2M UE systems. The control module may be further configured to be operated by the processor to receive an indication of a wireless network resource being allocated to the group by an eNB, utilize the wireless network resource allocated to the group of M2M UE systems to transmit a signal via the wireless communication interface; and periodically communicate, via the wireless communication interface, to an application server, information obtained by the sensor.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example wireless network 10 that includes a RAN node in the form of an eNB 12. While the embodiments described herein include primarily LTE network components, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, methods and apparatus may be implemented on other types of wireless networks where M2M devices are used, such as WiMAX and 3G.

eNB 12 may communicate with a packet data network gateway (“PGW”) 14 through, for instance, a radio access network (“RAN”) in the form of an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (“E-UTRAN”) and a core network in the form of an evolved packet core (“EPC”). PGW 14 may in turn be connected to a network 16. Network 16 may include one or more local or wide area networks, as well as the Internet. A first application server 18, also connected to network 16, may be configured to communicate with one or more M2M UE devices or groups of M2M UE devices that connect to eNB 12.

A plurality of UE devices, including M2M UE devices, may be configured to connect to the wireless network 10 through eNB 12. M2M UE devices may be organized into groups, based on various criteria, so that eNB 12 may allocate one or more wireless network resources to the groups of M2M UE devices. In some embodiments, M2M wireless devices may be organized into groups by nodes of a wireless network, such as eNB 12. In other embodiments, M2M wireless devices may organize themselves into groups and transmit a grouping request to a RAN node such as eNB 12. In some embodiments, M2M wireless devices in a group may each be assigned an identical group identifier, e.g., by eNB 12 broadcasting a group identifier to each M2M wireless device in a group.

One criterion that may be used to organize M2M wireless devices into groups is a distance of the M2M wireless devices from a RAN node. Another criterion is a direction of the M2M wireless devices from the RAN node. In some embodiments, both are used. For example, in FIG. 1, eNB 12 may organize into a group 24 a plurality of proximate M2M UE devices 22 that are located within a particular distance and in a particular direction from eNB 12. A second group 26 of M2M UE devices 28 may be proximately located to each other, but at a further distance and/or different direction from eNB 12. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, M2M wireless devices may be organized into groups based at least in part on the M2M wireless devices' distances from each other.

Nodes of a wireless network, such as eNB 12, may be configured to detect distance and/or direction of M2M wireless devices in various ways. In some embodiments, a RAN node may be configured to detect a location of an M2M wireless device directly, using distance and/or direction. In some embodiments, RAN node may be configured to determine an M2M wireless device's location and/or distance indirectly, e.g., by measuring signal and/or channel quality. In some embodiments, the M2M wireless devices may be equipped with global positioning system (“GPS”) modules, and may be configured to communicate their GPS coordinates to a RAN node.

Another criterion RAN nodes may use to organize M2M wireless devices into groups is a function or role served by M2M wireless devices. For example, in FIG. 1, M2M UE devices 30 are deployed on vehicles of a fleet (e.g., taxis). eNB 12 may organize these M2M UE devices 30 into another group based on a particular function or role. M2M UE devices 30 in the second group may be configured to communicate with first application server 18, for example, to periodically report their location.

Once M2M wireless devices are organized into groups, wireless network resources may be assigned to the groups. Each M2M wireless device in a group may thereafter share the network resource assigned to the group.

Various wireless resources may be assigned to groups of M2M wireless devices, for a variety of reasons. In some embodiments, a wireless resource may be assigned to a group based on traffic models of M2M wireless devices in the group. In some embodiments, a wireless resource allocated to a group of M2M wireless devices may be persistent across sessions of individual M2M wireless devices of the group. This may reduce overhead of multiple M2M wireless devices repeatedly connecting and reconnecting to a network to exchange potential small amounts of discreet data. Some wireless resource allocations may be persistent in the long-term, e.g., for periodic or pseudo-periodic traffic models. Other resource allocations may be instant or at least shorter term, e.g., for non-periodic traffic models.

In some embodiments, a time interval and/or a frequency range may be allocated to M2M wireless devices of a group of M2M wireless devices, which they may use to transmit or receive data. An example of this is seen in FIG. 2, in which a first group 210 of UE devices (UE1-UE3) alternate transmissions with a second group 214 of UE devices (UE4-UE6). The first group 210 is allocated a segment of time within a periodic time interval T1. The second group 214 is allocated a segment of time within a second time interval T2. The RAN node (e.g., eNB 12) may be configured to ensure that transmission times allocated to groups of M2M wireless devices do not overlap or otherwise interfere with each other.

In various embodiments, a RAN node may allocate, to a group of M2M wireless devices, a dedicated channel to which M2M wireless devices from the group have access. In various embodiments, a RAN node may allocate, to a group of M2M wireless devices, a time interval during which M2M UE devices from the group of M2M UE devices have access to a particular channel.

To simplify communications, in some embodiments, one or more M2M devices from a group may be assigned a role of a representative of the group, for instance, to exchange control information with a RAN node. For example, eNB 12 may receive, from an M2M UE device of the group 24 of M2M UE devices 22, a channel request on behalf of the group 24 of M2M UE devices 22.

Individual M2M wireless devices of a group may access a wireless resource allocated to the group in contention or contention-free manners. In contention-free embodiments, individual M2M devices may access a wireless resource such as a channel in a predefined order. In some embodiments, sequential access to a wireless network resource may be provided to M2M wireless devices of a group. The order may be defined by a RAN node (e.g., eNB 12) or another network component. Similarly, physical layer parameters may be shared among M2M wireless devices of a group, to simplify control processing and signaling. For example, a single measurement of channel quality (e.g., CQI) and/or feedback may be sent to a RAN node as representative of all M2M wireless devices of a group. Other examples of parameters that may be shared among individual M2M wireless devices of a group include transmit power setting, precoding matrix indicator(s), modulation and coding selection.

FIG. 3 depicts an example method 300 that may be implemented by various nodes of a network, such as eNB 12. Although this method is described in terms of LTE networks, similar operations may be performed by similar nodes of other types of networks, such as WiMAX or 3G. Moreover, while shown in a particular order, that is not meant to be limiting, as some operations may be performed in different orders and/or omitted altogether.

At 302, a first M2M UE device and a second M2M UE device may be organized, e.g., by eNB 12, into a group (e.g., 24, 26, the group formed by UE devices 30) of M2M UE devices. At 304, a group identifier associated with the group may be assigned to the first and second M2M UE devices.

At 306, a wireless network resource may be allocated to the group of M2M UE devices. Any number of wireless resources may be allocated at 306. For example, at 308, a time interval and/or frequency range may be allocated to the group of M2M UE devices. At 310, a channel request may be received, e.g., by eNB 12, on behalf of an entire group of M2M UE devices. In response, at 312, eNB 12 may allocate a dedicated channel, or a time/frequency interval of a dedicated channel, to which M2M UE devices of the group may have access.

The techniques and apparatuses described herein may be implemented into a system using suitable hardware and/or software to configure as desired. FIG. 4 illustrates, for one embodiment, an example system 400 comprising one or more processor(s) 404, system control logic 408 coupled to at least one of the processor(s) 404, system memory 412 coupled to system control logic 408, non-volatile memory (NVM)/storage 416 coupled to system control logic 408, and one or more wireless communications interface(s) 420 coupled to system control logic 408.

System control logic 408 for one embodiment may include any suitable interface controllers to provide for any suitable interface to at least one of the processor(s) 404 and/or to any suitable device or component in communication with system control logic 408.

System control logic 408 for one embodiment may include one or more memory controller(s) to provide an interface to system memory 412. System memory 412 may be used to load and store data and/or instructions, for example, for system 400. System memory 412 for one embodiment may include any suitable volatile memory, such as suitable dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”), for example.

System control logic 408 for one embodiment may include one or more input/output (I/O) controller(s) to provide an interface to NVM/storage 416 and wireless communications interface(s) 420.

NVM/storage 416 may be used to store data and/or instructions, for example. NVM/storage 416 may include any suitable non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, for example, and/or may include any suitable non-volatile storage device(s), such as one or more hard disk drive(s) (“HDD(s)”), one or more solid-state drive(s), one or more compact disc (“CD”) drive(s), and/or one or more digital versatile disc (“DVD”) drive(s) for example.

The NVM/storage 416 may include a storage resource physically part of a device on which the system 400 is installed or it may be accessible by, but not necessarily a part of, the device. For example, the NVM/storage 416 may be accessed over a network via the wireless communications interface(s) 420.

System memory 412 and NVM/storage 416 may include, in particular, temporal and persistent copies of control module 424, respectively. The control module 424 may include instructions that when executed by at least one of the processor(s) 404 result in the system 400 performing M2M wireless device grouping and wireless network resource allocation, as described above. In some embodiments, the control module 424 may additionally/alternatively be located in the system control logic 408.

Wireless communications interface(s) 420 may provide an interface for system 400 to communicate over one or more network(s) and/or with any other suitable device. Wireless communications interface(s) 420 may include any suitable hardware and/or firmware, such as a wireless network adapter. The wireless communications interface(s) 420 may use one or more antenna(s).

For one embodiment, at least one of the processor(s) 404 may be packaged together with logic for one or more controller(s) of system control logic 408. For one embodiment, at least one of the processor(s) 404 may be packaged together with logic for one or more controllers of system control logic 408 to form a System in Package (“SiP”). For one embodiment, at least one of the processor(s) 404 may be integrated on the same die with logic for one or more controller(s) of system control logic 408. For one embodiment, at least one of the processor(s) 404 may be integrated on the same die with logic for one or more controller(s) of system control logic 408 to form a System on Chip (“SoC”).

The system 400 may be a desktop or laptop computer, a mobile telephone, a smart phone, or any other device adapted to transmit or receive a wireless communication signal. In various embodiments, system 400 may have more or less components, and/or different architectures. For example, in FIG. 4, system 400 includes a GPS module 438, and a sensor 442. The sensor 442 may sense any number of conditions, such as weather conditions, temperature, assembly line conditions, and so forth, and report the sensed conditions to an application server, periodically, by request or whenever the condition meets a particular criterion (e.g., a temperature threshold).

Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein for purposes of description, a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments described herein be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. 

1-29. (canceled)
 30. A computer-implemented method, comprising: organizing, by a radio access network node, a first machine-to-machine device and a second machine-to-machine device into a group of machine-to-machine devices; allocating, by the radio access network node, a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices; and transmitting, by the radio access network node to at least one of the first or second machine-to-machine devices, an indication of the allocation of the wireless network resource, wherein the indication includes a group identifier to identify the group.
 31. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein organizing a first machine-to-machine device and a second machine-to-machine device into a group includes organizing, by the radio access network node, the first machine-to-machine device and the second machine-to-machine device into the group based on at least one of a distance of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine devices from the radio access network node and a direction of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine devices from the radio access network node.
 32. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein organizing a first machine-to-machine device and a second machine-to-machine device into a group includes organizing, by the radio access network node, the first machine-to-machine device and the second machine-to-machine device into the group based at least in part on a distance of the first and second machine-to-machine devices from each other.
 33. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, further comprising assigning, by the radio access network node, the group identifier associated with the group of machine-to-machine devices to the first and second devices.
 34. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein allocating a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices includes allocating, by the radio access network node, a time interval and frequency range that the devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices may use to transmit or receive data.
 35. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein allocating a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices includes allocating, by the radio access network node, a dedicated channel to which machine-to-machine devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access.
 36. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein allocating a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices includes allocating, by the radio access network node, a time interval during which machine-to-machine devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access to a channel.
 37. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, further comprising receiving, from an machine-to-machine device of the group of machine-to-machine devices, a channel request on behalf of the group of machine-to-machine devices.
 38. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, further comprising providing, by the radio access network node to devices of the group of machine-to-machine devices, access to the wireless network resource in a predefined order.
 39. The computer-implemented method of claim 38, further comprising providing, by the radio access network node to the devices of the group of machine-to-machine devices, sequential access to the wireless network resource.
 40. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, further comprising communicating with individual machine-to-machine devices of the group of machine-to-machine devices using a common set of physical layer parameters.
 41. A machine-to-machine device, comprising: a processor; a memory coupled to the processor; and a control module configured to: determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in a group of machine-to-machine devices; receive an indication of a wireless network resource being allocated to the group by a radio access network node; and utilize the wireless network resource allocated to the group of machine-to-machine devices to facilitate transmission of a wireless signal.
 42. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a group identifier received from the radio access network node.
 43. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a group identifier received from another device of the group of machine-to-machine devices.
 44. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on an indication, stored in memory of the device, that the device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices.
 45. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the wireless network resource is a time interval and frequency range that devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices may use to transmit or receive data.
 46. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the wireless network resource is a dedicated channel to which devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access.
 47. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the wireless network resource is a time interval during which devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access to a channel.
 48. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the control module is further configured to transmit, to the radio access network node, over a wireless communication interface, a channel request on behalf of the group of machine-to-machine devices.
 49. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a determination that it meets a criterion.
 50. The machine-to-machine device of claim 49, wherein the criterion in based at least in part on a distance or a direction of the device from the radio access network node.
 51. The machine-to-machine device of claim 49, further comprising: a global positioning system module; wherein the control module is further configured to: receive, from the global positioning system module, geographic coordinates of the device; and transmit, to the radio access network node over the wireless communication interface, the global positioning system coordinates.
 52. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the control module is further configured to share the wireless network resource with another device of the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a predefined order defined by the radio access network node.
 53. The machine-to-machine device of claim 41, wherein the control module is further configured to share one or more physical layer parameters with another device of the group of machine-to-machine devices to communicate with the radio access network node.
 54. A computer system, comprising: one or more processors; and a control module configured to be operated by a processor of the one or more processors to: receive operating parameters for a plurality of machine-to-machine wireless devices; organize a first machine-to-machine wireless device and a second machine-to-machine wireless device into a group of machine-to-machine wireless devices based on the received operating parameters; and allocate a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine wireless devices.
 55. The system of claim 54, wherein the operating parameters includes a distance of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine wireless devices from the system.
 56. The system of claim 54, wherein the operating parameters includes a direction of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine wireless devices from the system.
 57. A machine-to-machine system, comprising: one or more processors; a wireless communication interface; a sensor; and a control module configured to be operated by a processor of the one or more processors to: determine that the machine-to-machine system belongs in a group of machine-to-machine systems; receive an indication of a wireless network resource being allocated to the group by a radio access network node; utilize the wireless network resource allocated to the group of machine-to-machine systems to transmit a signal via the wireless communication interface; and periodically communicate, via the wireless communication interface, to an application server, information obtained by the sensor.
 58. The machine-to-machine system of claim 57, further comprising a global positioning system module, wherein the control module is further configured to: receive, from the global positioning system module, geographic coordinates of the machine-to-machine system; and transmit, to the radio access network node over the wireless communication interface, the global positioning system coordinates. 